Metal box-beam



Patented Aug. 9, |898.

C. M. HURTON. METAL'BUX BEAM, BOX GIRDER, AND yB0X POST.

(Application filed Apr. 2, 1898.)

(No Model.)

nl/lillll f/IIIIII III/l 6 l HNTOR WITNESSES n4: cams pasas co., PHoYoALx'Trjo.. WASHINGTON. '0. c.

Farrar @inercia CHARLES M'. I-IORTON, OF SUPERIOR, vWISCONSIN.

VIETAL BOX==BEANI, BOX-GIRDER, AND BOX-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,861, dated August 9, 1898. Application filed A pril 2, 1898. Serial No. 676,239. `(No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. HoRroN, a citizen of tho United States, residing at Superior, in the county of Douglas, State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MetalBox-Beams,Box-Gird ers, and Box-Posts; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to metallic combination beams, box-beams, box-girders, boxposts, or bridge-cords; and it consists of a structure comprising beams and channelplates applied together While a part or all of them are hot and completed and substantially united by rolling in the form desired, no rivets or bolts being used.

The object of my invention is to provide metal box-beams, box-girders, box-posts, or bridge-cords of various desired sizes and shapes without resorting` to the use of rivets or other weakening' or puncturing means, thereby preserving all the strength of the metal.

It also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying'drawings, Figure l represents a cross-section through a box beam, girder, or post constructed in accordance with my invention.` Fig. 2 represents a cross-sectional view showing a little different style of beam used in making up the box beam, girder, or post. Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through a box-beam employing two dierent kinds of component beams. Fig. 4 represents a crosssection through a beam with the binding-plate omitted upon one side, and Fig. 5 is a detail View illustrating one of the binding channelplates before it is applied to the beam. Fig. (5 is a cross-section through a beam similar to that illustrated'in Fig. 4, but showing beams of a slightly-modified shape.

A in the drawings represents beams which are held together to form the box beams, girders, or posts. These beams may be of I shape or approximately I shape, and, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, they are preferably made approximately I shape-that is,

having a wide iiange, as a, upon one side and a narrower` flange, as a', lupon the other side. The main feature is to have beams which are strong in structure and which will have flanges by which they may be bound together to form box-girders.

. B indicates a binding or channel plate, and B represents another binding-plate to hold the oppositesides of the beams together. The channel-plate B is formed with projecting iianges Z9 Z7, which form upon the face of the plate receiving grooves or channels. These ianges are formed sufficiently far apart to receive the fianges of the beams A. The binding channel-plate B is formed with fianges arranged upon the outer edges of the said plate, as at b2, and is also provided with interiorly-arranged flanges or ribs b3.

In forming the box-beam the approximate I-beams A are laid near each other, and-their iianges a a are placedin the channels formed between the fianges h of the channel-plate B. This is done while the channel-plates or the beams orboth are heated, and the beams and channel-plates are then passed through suitable rolls one or more times and the anges b thereby rolled down upon the flanges d a' of the beams A. The beams A will thus be spaced at the desired distance apart and firmly held there Without the use of rivets or bolts. After the channel-plate B has been applied the channel-plate B is next applied upon the other edges of the beams A, the outer flanges or ribs b2 being rolled down in suitable rolls while they are still hot, as above described in connection with the channelplate B. The ribs or flanges b3 act as spacing-lugs to hold the beams the proper distance apart. Of course it is apparent that these ribs could not be well rolled upon the fianges of the beams, as they would be inclosed; buti it is not necessary to do this, as the structure is sufficiently compact and strong by reason of the rolling of the other anges or ribs. As shown in Fig. l of the drawings, I preferably arrange the beams A with their flangesV o. outside, their flanges a being interiorly disposed. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings,the contour of the beams, as C, may bevaried, the beams in this instance being provided upon one edge with flanges c and c', while on the other edge they are merely formed with a sin- IOO gle flange, -as c2. In this instance the channel-plateB will be applied to the beams C and its ribs or flanges b be rolled in place, as hereinbefore described. The channel-plate B will then be applied as before, its exterior flanges being rolled and its interior flanges acting as spacing means. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will be apparent that two or more beams may be used in building up a box beam, girder, post, or cord. As seen in this figure, I may use a central I-beam and two external beams, the channel-irons holding together the central I-beam D and two external beams or channel-irons, as d d. In this instance it will be necessary to make'the binding channel-plates, as E E, of sufficient width to properly space the three beams making up the box-beam. The channel-plate E is formed with flanges or ribs e e, similar to the ribs b of the channel-plate B. rl`hese ribs are so arranged as to receive the flanges of the three beams D d d, and when the channel-plate is applied to the beams they are rolled upon the flanges thereof while still hot. The plate E is provided with ribs or flanges e e2, the flanges e being externally arranged and adapted to be rolled upon the flanges of the outer beams d d and the inner ribs or flanges e2 being adapted to space the beams the proper distance apart. WhileIhave described and shown beams spaced apart by means of channel-plates applied to both edges of the component beams, I contemplate using beams in some instances held together by channel-plates applied to only one edge of the beams. As seen in Fig. 4. of the drawings, the approximately T-shaped beams F are adapted to be held together by means of a channelplate Gr, having ribs or flanges g formed thereon, so as to properly space the said beams F. This channel-plate is preferably applied, as heretofore described, when the parts are still hot, and the flanges or ribs g are rolled down upon the flanges of the beams F.

As shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the main beams II II may be of an approximately T shape at their upper edges, as at h h, and of an approximately L shape at their lower.

edges, as at h h. The beams II II are preferably held together in the same manner as the beams F F, as shown and described in connection with Fig. 4 of the drawings.

In the manufacture of the several members and the assembling thereof to form a completed box structure the process is preferably accomplished in a substantially continuous operation to avoid reheating of any of the parts. beams be heated before commencing the assembling of the parts, it is desirable that the channel-plates be heated. Some advantage might accrue, however, from the heating of both beams and channel-plates in the closer contacting of the members. However, it is deemed that the heat of the channel-plates will lend sufficient 'heat to the flanges of the beams to accomplish all the purposes required.

Vhile it is not necessary that the It is obvious that4 different arrangements and modified forms of beams and channelplates might be made in forming the boxbeams without departing from the spirit of my invention. It will be evident that the channel-plates may be applied interchangeably upon either flange of the beams. It will also be noticed that the inner spacing-flanges of one of the channel-plates might be dispensed with and still form a strong structure,

all within the scope of my invention. It will" also be evident Vfrom the above description that I am enabled to form box beams, girders, posts, or cords which shall possess great strength and rigidity without having to puncture the metal or using rivets or bolts of any kind. This is an important feature of my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A metallic box-girder comprising beams having flanges, plates provided with 'flanges forming channels, the said flanges being turned over and secured upon the flanges of the beams on each side thereof to space the component beams and hold the structure firmly together, substantially as described.

2. A metallic box-beam comprising beams havin-g flanges formed upon their edges,plates having exteriorly and interorly arranged flanges forming channels for receiving the flanges of the beams, one of said channelplates having its exterior and interior flanges turned over upon the flanges of the said beams to space them apart, substantially as described.

3. A metallic box-beam girder, comprising ,beams provided with one or more flanges,

plates for binding them together, and flanges formed upon the said plates upon one of their surfaces for forming channels, the construction being such that the flanges are vturned over and secured upon the flanges of the beams for securing the said beams in separate channels, substantially as described.

` 4c. A metallic box-girder, comprising beams having flanges upon their edges, plates for binding the beams together, ribs or flanges forming separate channels upon the inner faces of the said plates for receiving the flanges of the beams, the construction being such that when the said ribs of the channelplates are heated and turned over upon the flanges of the beams, the parts will be held firmly and rigidly together without the use of rivets or other puncturing means, substantially as described.

5. The combination with beams, of a plate provided upon its interior face with integral exterior and interior channel-walls adapted to receive the beams with their top flanges in the alternate spaces, respectively, and a second plate forming the fourth side of the structure provided upon its interior face with integral exterior and interior channelwalls forming spaces, the foot-flanges of the beams rol lateal movement thereof, subtantially as de- Io scribed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix: my

Signature in presence of two Witnessesa CHARLES M. HoRToN.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. WATSON, BERT FESLEY. 

